Clutch



Patented May 18, 1937 g UNITEDy `STATES.

This invention relates to clutches, and with l regard to certain more specific featuresto an over-running clutch.

This invention is an improvement uponthe structure shown in my United States Patent.

1,849,212, dated Marchk15, 1932.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an over-running clutch that will positively deliver full power from one ro'- y tating element to another without depending upon friction to transmit the force, and which will release immediately at the instant when there is the slightest tendency forthe driven parts to over-run the driving parts; the provision of a clutch of the class described which will function instantaneouslyand positively to pick up the load every time it is called upon to do so regardless of varying temperatures, lubricant viscosity, and like conditions; and the provision of av clutch of the class described which comes into driving engagement smoothly and Without the so-,called power thump". Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the ele#v ments and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structure'hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustratcd one of various possible embodiments of the invention, Y

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal'section showing the application of the clutch between a driving and a driven gear; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic development of peripheral portions of Fig; l;

January 1, 1935. a'high degree of perfection in' performance and permanence is desirable, and this invention provides theimprovements to lbring this about. V I

g Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral I a driving gear which 'serrations 25 which'correspond to, and engage is"imretail1y,tamed upon a stud 3, the nner having locked thereon a driven geark5. It is to be 4understood that the gears I Aand 5 are exemplary of any' driving an'd driven members respectively.' Fashionedr with the driven gear`5 Vis a housing 5 which encloses the clutch parts.

Forming part of the driving member I is a peripheral setof4 sloping, undercut, crown teeth or Wedges 9 extending helically and having forward sloping faces, II and rearward undercut 10 faces I3. The `termsqforward and"rearward" are used relatively to the' direction of angular rotation` of the member' I when itis driving in the direction shown by the single-,headed arrowy of Fig. 2.

whichfco'operate with corresponding 'external splined -teeth II'on afloose" or axiallymovable, driven ring I9. Thus, the loose, driven ring I9 Yand the finally driven member S'must at alltimes 2Ol rotate at the same' angular velocity', although the ring IBhas en'dwise, linear play with respect to the member 5; that isfthey are splined.

AvThe left-hand face of the loose,`driven1ring I9 (referring to Figs. A1 and 2) is provided with 25 radial serrations 2| 4having a mean pitch of approximatelyg of an inch, and of about -an equal depth, although these dimensions are not be considered as limiting but merely to showthe nonfrictional character of'certain drivingfcontacts therein, tolse particularized'hereinafter. i

At numeral 23 is shown an intermediate drive or wedge ring whichis freely'rota'table onthe stud 3 andk which on its right-hand facev has radial 3. with the serrations 2| on the ring I9. o

On its left-hand face, the intermediate ring 23 f n carriesundercutnotches 2I having forward driven faces 29 which cooperate with the drivingVv faces II, and rearward retraction Afaces 3Iv which co` operate withfthe faces I3. The driving and driven faces II and 29 respectively have a wedge angle of approximately 2 0-degreesv, and the retraction faces I3. and `f3I have an `angle of vapproximately 45vdegrees. Thefact that the former 45 angle is lessv than the latter provides a positive wedging shut of the parts for positive drivingv and at the same time a quick and sensitive opening acti`on,1as ywill be clear from the following. i.

The form of the right-hand face 33 of the loose, driven ring I9fis more or less inconsequential, though .itv should preferably. be fiat; likewise, the inner face 32 of vthe-gniemberlii. Between faces 32 and 33 is a load` reaction spring 15' Internally, the housing 'I carries splined teeth I5 same having a free end 45 so that when the spring is positioned in the inner cylindric cup formed by the housing 1, it is outwardly pressed against the inner cylinder at said cup and assumes approximately a cylindric f orrn.V Such a spring has the characteristic of tending to lock against the outer cylinder wall when turned relatively clockwise (Fig. 3),V beingvself-energizing in respect to locking; and when turned relatively counterclockwise (Fig,I 3) to permit free relative rotationl with, some, but Alittle friction,

between itself and the surrounding wall.' Such a spring is sometimes called `a Scotch-coil.Y A mechanical equivalent would comprise any device which is self-lockingk or highly frictional in one direction and self-releasing, but engendering some, but slight, friction in the reverse direction.

The particular improvements embodied in this construction arise fromvthe use of the Scotchcoil `ty'pe of spring or the" equivalent, as described,.and the use ofv the reaction spring 35 or its equivalent with the loose, rdriven membei I9. L i Operation is described as follows Vinwhicl'i description relative movement only of the driving and driven elementsl and 5 will be considered,

`and in which all movements Awill be related to the functions of engagement and disengagement:A

When thedriver moves relatively `in the direction of the single-headed Iarrow shown in Fig. 2, the wedge teeth 9 will incipiently move so that their forward-drivingfaces will instantlyV contact the Yfaces 29 ofthe intermediate ring` 23 and hence will tend to move the ring 23 angularly or axially or both. This incipiently. moves-the damper spring or Scotch-coil 39 clockwise` (Fig. 3) thus causing it to effect a `self,-lockingwith respect to the housing 1. Thus, the incipient angular movement of the intermediate or wedge ring 23 is promptly resisted `(seelip 4I and notch 43) .so that there remains `only the possibility of axial movement thereof. As a consequence, said ring 23 assumes an axial movement under the i wedging action at.faces 29, thus causing serrations 25 to axially engage the serrations 2| of the loose, driven ring 7|9. The fact that the serrations 25 and 2| engage under axial movement only, accounts vfor the elimination of all clashing upon engagement.

It should be noted at this `,point that the spring 39 is not used for transmittingtheenergy from the driver to the` driven member and hence is not subjected to the deleterious wear that such springs often are. i e Y After the serrations 25 and 2| have been fully engaged,`continuous movementof lboth rings 23 and I9 in an axial direction, under thedriving, wedging action, is gradually and increasingly resisted by a tendency toflatten vout the waves in the reaction spring 35. .Thus, the undersirable "power thump is prevented. The spring 35 reactsiagainst the driven member 5. The splines I5 and |I permit of the axial movement 0f the tion of the driving torque and the greater the torque, the more said spring fiattens, and the less the torque,` the more said spring returns to its initial wave-form. Thus it will be seen that vunder any variation in torque, up to maximum, the spring 35 provides a cushioned reaction which is conducive to smooth and silent performance. e When the driver moves relatively to the driven parts in the direction of the double-headed arrow shown in Fig. `2 (driven member over-running), then the loose, intermediate ring 23 is driven to over-run the driving member I'. The

drive is 'first through serrations 2|, 25 whichl initially causes the faces 3| of notches 21 to contact the faces |3of\ the teeth 9 and sliding acy tion along the said faces 3| and I3 picks'the ring 23 out of engagement with the loose, driven ring I9; that is, the serrations 25 and 2| start" to separate.y As long as the serrations are in contact, av positive drive is effected from ring I9 to ring 23iso as to cause a sliding action along said faces |3=and 3|.

' It isnot desirable that as the serrations sep` r arate, there occur a relative scraping action between theseries 2| and the 'series 25. This is avoided by reason' of the fact that the spring 39gisat this time moving with the housing l.

due to the frictional effect between it and the'k housing sufficient to carry around the ring 23 so as to prevent relative rotation between said loose ring 23 and the housing Therefore the serrations 2| and' 25 go completely out of con- -tact with axial movement only, thus to complete the substantially linear Awithdrawing action of the ring 23 and provide a definite clearance be-l tween `the serrations before relative angular movements occur between them. Suchl relative movements ultimately occur because the'teeth 9 bottom in the recesses 21 and the frictional hcldi ing action between spring 39 and housing 'i'is overcome and is supplanted by a slipping action.

This slipping `action is non-deleterious, being light and under low pressure, due to the characteristics of the Scotch-coil.

Among the advantages of the present invention over that-shownin my said Patent 1,849,212, are in the provision of the loose, splined driven ring.|9, which while transmitting energy to the driven member, nevertheless is'axially movable; and the provision of the buffer or reaction spring 35 against which themovable ring |9 pushes under driving conditions.

Anotheriadvantage arises out of the use of the Scotch-coil type of spring39. This coil or its equivalentprovides an instantaneous braking action against driving rotation of the ring 23 under driving conditions; so that said ring is confined to axial movementfor closing the clutch' thr'ougiiserrauons z5 and 2|, but which at the same `time provides vfriction (but only enough friction) under over-running conditions (without a braking action) to cause the ring 23 to be completely picked out of engagement at the serrations 25 and 2i bythe action of the faces 3| and I3. n

The teeth- 9 and notches 21 are in effect male and female helical forms which-have mechanical equivalents such as the bayonet-type of connection and the like, and of course, the mechanical equivalent of the spring 35 may also be used.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achievedV and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and 'not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A clutch comprising a driving member, an over-running driven member, an intermediate member having lost motion with respect to both driving and driven members, a member mounted forv axial movement with respect to the over running driven member but locked thereto for equal angular movements, said intermediate member and axially movable member having enslipping action therebetween under over-running n conditions, and resilientmeans backing the axially movable member adapted to eliminate shock upon contact between it and the intermediate member.

2. A clutch comprising a driving member, a driven member, an intermediate wedge member having lost motion with' respect to both driving and driven members, a second axially movable member free of the driven member for axial movement but locked thereto for equal angular movement, said wedge member and second axially movable member having positively engageable driving surfaces, wedge means between the driving member and wedge member adapted upon driving by the driving member to force,

the wedge member to engage the second axially movable member, and to separate these under over-running conditions, a Scotch-coil between the intermediate member and the driven member adapted to produce locking action under driving conditions and friotional, but slipping action under over-running conditions, and resilient means between said axially movable member and the driven member.

3. A clutch comprising a driving member, an over-running driven member, an intermediate wedge member having lost motion in respect to both driving and driven members, an axially movable member, said intermediate member and axially movable member having engageable driving surfaces, cooperating means between the driving member and intermediate member adapted upon driving to force the intermediate member to engage the axially movable member, means adapted to separate' these under overrunning conditions, means between t'ie intermecliate member and the driven member adapted to produce ajrelativelyhigh friction between it'. I and vthe driven L member under "incipientv driving tween the 'intermediate' and axially movable members.`

4. A'clutch' vcornprisinga driving membenan'.'y

over-running drivenmexnber, an intermediate.v member having lost motion with respect to both driving and driven.` members, an Vaxially mov--y able member, lsaid-` intermediate. member. land.`

axially movable member having engageable positively wedge means between the driving member and intermediate member adapted upon driving by the driving member to force the intermediate member to engage the axially movable member, wedge means adapted` to separate these under over-running conditions, and means between the intermediate member andl the driven member adapted to produce a relatively high friction between it and the over-running driven member under incipient driving conditions and a relatively low friction therebetween under overrunning conditions, the first-named wedge means having a sharper wedge angle than the secondnamed wedge means.

5. A clutchcomprising a driving member, an over-running driven member, an intermediate member having lost motion with respect to both driving and driven members, an axially movable member, saidl intermediate member and axially movable member having lengageable driving surfaces, cooperating wedge means between the driving member and intermediate member adapted upon driving bythe driving member to force the intermediate member to engage the axially movable member, wedge means adapted to separate l these under over-running conditions, means between the intermediate member and the ,drivenv member adapted to produce a relatively high friction between it andthe driven member 4under incipient driving conditions and a relatively low friction therebetween under over-running conditions, the rst-named-wedge means having a sharper Wedge angle than the second-namedr wedge means, and means for buiiingl the force locking driving surfaces, cooperating of engagement between the intermediate and axially movable members comprising a spring between the axially movable member andthe driven member. y

6. A clutch comprising a driving member, a

driven memben'an intermediate member having lost motion with respect to both driving and driven members, an axially movable member free of the driven member for axial movement but locked thereto for equal angular movement, said intermediate and axially movable members having positively engageable drivingsurfaces, wedge means between the driving member and intermediate member adapted upon driving by the driving member to force the intermediate member to engage the axially movable member, and a second wedge means adapted to separate these under over-running conditions, a Scotch-coll between the intermediate and driven members adapted to produce relatively high friction under driving conditions and relatively low frictonunder over-running conditions, the iist` wedgek means having a greater mechanical advantage than said second .wedge means.

7. A clutch comprising a driving member, a driven member, an intermediate member having lost motion with respect to both driving and driven members, an axially movable member free of the driven member for .axial movement but locked thereto for equal angular movement, said intermediate and axially movable members hav- Y ing positively engageable driving surfaces, wedge means between the driving member andlintermediate member' adapted upon driving by the driving member to force the intermediate member-to engage the axially movable member, andA a'second wedge means adapted to separate thesel under over-running conditions, a Scotch-coil between the intermediate and driven members the driven member, said spring having a wave l0 form axially considered.

Y t ANTHONY WINTHER. 

